Reading at t'moment?
#25141
Posted 08 September 2019 - 11:48 AM
Half way into Peter Newman's second Vagrant book "The Malice".
The more you read about these infernals and half-breeds and other creatures, the more sympathetic they seem. They're monsters but they long to be more than that.
It's making the stories less terrifying and grim but still pretty horrible. Mind you what we're learning about the Human population makes the distinction blurry.
The more you read about these infernals and half-breeds and other creatures, the more sympathetic they seem. They're monsters but they long to be more than that.
It's making the stories less terrifying and grim but still pretty horrible. Mind you what we're learning about the Human population makes the distinction blurry.
#25142
Posted 09 September 2019 - 03:29 PM
Abyss, on 06 September 2019 - 03:12 PM, said:
Tiste Simeon, on 06 September 2019 - 02:32 PM, said:
He iS, it's just there is so much 'life for a poor child in 1900s England' and minimal sf/f that i showed up for.
Hints, sure, the intro bit was interesting, but right now i feel like i'm listening to a Jane Austen novel. Maybe Dickens.
Aptorian, on 06 September 2019 - 04:06 PM, said:
Subsequent lives itterate on the first one so it pays off.
Just finished.
It was good, i liked. It held my attention, most of the time. The things i did not love were fairly subjective to my tastes, i think.
The core concept - a perpetual cycle of dying and being reborn into the exact same life - was well executed. I might argue that Ken Grim wood did it better with REPLAY, but Grimwood took a much narrower approach, focusing on the person. North goes wider, introduces other 'Ourobourans', and that's where this book really shines, engaging in the interplay between sort of immortals.
Spoiler
All that said, it was a good book and i can see why so many enjoy it so much. Will check out something else by Claire North eventually.
Next up, back to Daevabad w S A Charabotay's KINGDOM OF COPPER.
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#25143
Posted 09 September 2019 - 03:35 PM
I couldn't get into The Liar's Key, so I shelved it. Started The Ember Blade instead.
“The others followed, and found themselves in a small, stuffy basement, which would have been damp, smelly, close, and dark, were it not, in fact, well-lit, which prevented it from being dark.”
― Steven Brust, The Phoenix Guards
― Steven Brust, The Phoenix Guards
#25144
Posted 09 September 2019 - 03:37 PM
Aw man QT, you went and picked one of the weak Sharpe books. Pretty much anything published after Fortress is inferior
2012
"Imperial Gothos, Imperial"
"Imperial Gothos, Imperial"
#25145
Posted 09 September 2019 - 03:38 PM
Clicking through my kobo to see what I have as a light hearted pallet cleanser after 84k.
Think I might have another Ciaphas Cain book
Think I might have another Ciaphas Cain book
2012
"Imperial Gothos, Imperial"
"Imperial Gothos, Imperial"
#25146
Posted 09 September 2019 - 04:00 PM
Macros, on 09 September 2019 - 03:37 PM, said:
Aw man QT, you went and picked one of the weak Sharpe books. Pretty much anything published after Fortress is inferior
Ah, it's not too bad. I'm doing chronological order and it was up next...after that is RIFLES though.
"When the last tree has fallen, and the rivers are poisoned, you cannot eat money, oh no." ~Aurora
"Someone will always try to sell you despair, just so they don't feel alone." ~Ursula Vernon
"Someone will always try to sell you despair, just so they don't feel alone." ~Ursula Vernon
#25147
Posted 09 September 2019 - 04:56 PM
I finally got to read The Missing of Clairedelune, the sequel to A Winter's Promise which I loved so much last year. Possibly didn't find it guite as captivating as the first but that's a pretty high bar- I still tore through it in two days. And it might well just have been that I expected it this time.
Mind, there was an odd decision regarding the treatment of a major antagonist from the first one.
Now I'm reading The Monster, the sequel to The Traitor Baru Cormorant, and good grief, I've not seen a step up in writing quality between an author's first and second books I think ever. I mean I like the first one well enough but there were all sorts of issues in the writing and structure and character building. This, so far, is orders better on every single level.
Mind, there was an odd decision regarding the treatment of a major antagonist from the first one.
Now I'm reading The Monster, the sequel to The Traitor Baru Cormorant, and good grief, I've not seen a step up in writing quality between an author's first and second books I think ever. I mean I like the first one well enough but there were all sorts of issues in the writing and structure and character building. This, so far, is orders better on every single level.
I can't carry it for you, but I can carry you.
#25148
Posted 09 September 2019 - 05:17 PM
After 2 moves I finally found my copy of TTH. Finally can roll on with the re-read after 9 month hiatus.
I've always been crazy but its kept me from going insane.
#25149
Posted 09 September 2019 - 06:21 PM
polishgenius, on 09 September 2019 - 04:56 PM, said:
...Now I'm reading The Monster, the sequel to The Traitor Baru Cormorant, and good grief, I've not seen a step up in writing quality between an author's first and second books I think ever. I mean I like the first one well enough but there were all sorts of issues in the writing and structure and character building. This, so far, is orders better on every single level.
So much agree. I liked TRAITOR well enough, but MONSTER is a massive improvement on every level, character, action, humour, tension, hell just clarity of wtf is going on. I hope you enjoy as much as i did.
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#25150
Posted 09 September 2019 - 06:29 PM
QuickTidal, on 09 September 2019 - 04:00 PM, said:
Is this a reread or first time?
There's a few Gotmisms in Rifles if you do a chrono as it was the first one published.
But shit yeah Rifles, Gold and Eagle are probably my 3 favourites.
Also, Prey comes between Trafalgar and Rifles.
If you're a completionist, read it, otherwise skip it
2012
"Imperial Gothos, Imperial"
"Imperial Gothos, Imperial"
#25151
Posted 09 September 2019 - 06:45 PM
Macros, on 09 September 2019 - 06:29 PM, said:
QuickTidal, on 09 September 2019 - 04:00 PM, said:
Is this a reread or first time?
There's a few Gotmisms in Rifles if you do a chrono as it was the first one published.
But shit yeah Rifles, Gold and Eagle are probably my 3 favourites.
Also, Prey comes between Trafalgar and Rifles.
If you're a completionist, read it, otherwise skip it
First time reading them. I was going to skip PREY simply because I have a physical copy of RIFLES on hand to start, but now I'll skip PREY on principle too. Thanks!
"When the last tree has fallen, and the rivers are poisoned, you cannot eat money, oh no." ~Aurora
"Someone will always try to sell you despair, just so they don't feel alone." ~Ursula Vernon
"Someone will always try to sell you despair, just so they don't feel alone." ~Ursula Vernon
#25152
Posted 09 September 2019 - 07:17 PM
I'd say (for me) Prey is the weakest of the post Fortress publications
2012
"Imperial Gothos, Imperial"
"Imperial Gothos, Imperial"
#25153
Posted 09 September 2019 - 07:18 PM
But man are you in For a treat with the first few of the originals.
ETA I found alloy of law on the Link and read a few chapters. It'll do but I remembered I have Legend in my suitcase, it's always worth a reread....
ETA I found alloy of law on the Link and read a few chapters. It'll do but I remembered I have Legend in my suitcase, it's always worth a reread....
This post has been edited by Macros: 09 September 2019 - 07:19 PM
2012
"Imperial Gothos, Imperial"
"Imperial Gothos, Imperial"
#25154
Posted 09 September 2019 - 09:48 PM
Slow Ben, on 09 September 2019 - 05:17 PM, said:
After 2 moves I finally found my copy of TTH. Finally can roll on with the re-read after 9 month hiatus.
Got to read for about 3 hours this morning. I’m still baffled how this was my least favorite book the first time I read this series. This book is amazing.
I've always been crazy but its kept me from going insane.
#25155
Posted 09 September 2019 - 10:51 PM
Slow Ben, on 09 September 2019 - 09:48 PM, said:
Slow Ben, on 09 September 2019 - 05:17 PM, said:
After 2 moves I finally found my copy of TTH. Finally can roll on with the re-read after 9 month hiatus.
Got to read for about 3 hours this morning. I’m still baffled how this was my least favorite book the first time I read this series. This book is amazing.
Yes! TTH is definitely my favourite of the series.
A Haunting Poem
I Scream
You Scream
We all Scream
For I Scream.
I Scream
You Scream
We all Scream
For I Scream.
#25156
Posted 10 September 2019 - 02:43 AM
Tiste Simeon, on 09 September 2019 - 10:51 PM, said:
Slow Ben, on 09 September 2019 - 09:48 PM, said:
Slow Ben, on 09 September 2019 - 05:17 PM, said:
After 2 moves I finally found my copy of TTH. Finally can roll on with the re-read after 9 month hiatus.
Got to read for about 3 hours this morning. I’m still baffled how this was my least favorite book the first time I read this series. This book is amazing.
Yes! TTH is definitely my favourite of the series.
Third after MoI and DG for me.
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#25157
#25158
Posted 10 September 2019 - 09:34 AM
Sharpe were the Cornwell books I got into least (I think as a product of reading Warlord Chronicles first, mostly) - but I second the call for Eagles, Gold and Rifles being the pick of the bunch. I seem to recall having a soft spot for Battle too.
So yes, I sit firmly in the UHTRED! camp. And hearing the chap playing Leofric shout "arseling" over and over again in the series was a thing of pure beauty.
So yes, I sit firmly in the UHTRED! camp. And hearing the chap playing Leofric shout "arseling" over and over again in the series was a thing of pure beauty.
- Wyrd bið ful aræd -
#25159
Posted 10 September 2019 - 01:36 PM
Battle yah, solid solid Sharpe action.
2012
"Imperial Gothos, Imperial"
"Imperial Gothos, Imperial"
#25160
Posted 10 September 2019 - 04:39 PM
Just finished the second Vagrant book, The Malice.
It's not a bad book, like the first one it's downright heartwarming in the middle of all that grim grimness, but I feel like the first half of the first book promised something completely different than what the series actually delivered.
And the more you read the less grim the story actually is. It's more "the real monsters are us" than the epic Diablo vs High Tech Knights smackdown I was looking for.
I don't even know what the third book is supposed to be about. The infernals seem more sympathetic than the people. I wonder if the Seven/Six become the real baddies.
It's not a bad book, like the first one it's downright heartwarming in the middle of all that grim grimness, but I feel like the first half of the first book promised something completely different than what the series actually delivered.
And the more you read the less grim the story actually is. It's more "the real monsters are us" than the epic Diablo vs High Tech Knights smackdown I was looking for.
I don't even know what the third book is supposed to be about. The infernals seem more sympathetic than the people. I wonder if the Seven/Six become the real baddies.